"It doesn't look right..." is a discouraging expression of many children frustrated by their artwork. I created a simple watercolor program  in which students experience the joy of painting and principles of color while producing some amazing results. It renews their confidence. Watercolors Paint Themselves teaches several watercolor techniques. Students create a sunset background onto which transfer an image they have chosen and researched at the beginning of the class. Each painting becomes uniquely each students' as they chose how to render the subject either in line, silhouette, or full value. Painting the loose abstract background and the more controlled rendering of the representational image in the foreground utilizes both right and left brain skills. One technique accesses the unconscious mind while the other delineates the physical reality of shapes and relationships. Students are empowered by the paintings they create, increasing their self-esteem and creative desire. This workshop is adaptable to two or four periods. It is fast and engaging: producing a painting in one or two periods. Teaches have commented that it is a great break from the longer art projects, rekindling interest and motivating students to finish other projects. This program meets curriculum frameworks in several categories: 7 in Visual Arts,2 in Reading, 1 in Geography, and 1 in Life Science.  It also meets 3 of the Guiding Principles of Character- Centered Teaching. Contact me to see examples of students' artwork. Available to conduct teacher workshops. Completed the professional development workshop, "Techniques and History of Repousse," led by Dr. Gretchen Wilkes, M.Ed., May 2014.

I have been a professional artist for over 30 years. Although I can paint in any medium, watercolor is my passion and main discipline. After graduating from Chicago's American Academy of Art with an Associate Degree in Fine Art I taught adult and children's classes through local art leagues. When I moved to Arkansas in 1980 I started a silkscreen printing and dyeing business called Willow Moon Designs. In the last five years I have returned to teaching . I have taught watercolor workshops in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Washington, and Mexico. I have had several solo and group exhibitions. I have entered shows and received awards from Artists of Northwest Arkansas, The Fort Smith Art Center, and For Pet's Sake. My design was chosen the winner of the Thomas Hart Benton Mural Competition; I was commissioned to paint the mural at the George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri. Currently my work is on exhibit at Heartwood Gallery in Fayetteville, Arkansas and can be seen on line at heartwoodgallery.org or artamiss.org .